Ripping out stuff breaking features for a million users is not. Now Pharo does not have millions of users to care about yet, they are making a new system with a different focus. Great for them. But this does not really apply to Squeak.
right. BTW I can see Pharo having exactly the same debate in a couple of years ahead, especially if it tries to keep both its research-oriented and professionnal-status aims at the same time. it will have its own backward compatibility to maintain after a while; at the moment it's all new and bright and pink... we all know how it goes.
Stef